Following his goal in Manchester City’s opening fixture of the 2025/2026 Champions League season against Napoli, Norwegian forward Erling Haaland took his tally in the tournament to 50 goals in 49 games, making him the fastest player to hit the goal milestone.
Erling Haaland has now surpassed the long-standing record previously held by former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, who required 62 matches to reach the milestone of 50 goals in the UEFA Champions League.
In comparison, Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history, needed 66 games to hit the same mark. However, the Argentine icon still holds a separate distinction; he remains the youngest player ever to score 50 Champions League goals, achieving the feat at the age of 24 years and 284 days while playing for the Spanish side, Barcelona.
Haaland, who is currently 25 years old, however, holds the record of being the footballer to achieve this feat with a lesser number of fixtures played in the tournament. By doing so, the Norwegian striker has moved ahead of French superstar Kylian Mbappé, who had been second on the all-time “quickest to 50” list.